Introducing Pay It Forward

We have a financial problem in the knitting world. Actually, we have a few, but they can mostly be boiled down into two distinct categories: creators not being valued and paid appropriately, and customers being priced out of the independent products market.

Do you know how much work goes into creating a knitting pattern? I thought I did, before I started designing, and to give myself credit, I had most of it accounted for. But there’s so much more to it than most people think and, if you’re an independent designer, you also have to do everything else involved with running a business and generating sales.

Here’s a list of things I do in order to produce any given pattern:

1. Have an idea
2. Turn that ideas into a design
3. Choose and buy appropriate yarn for the sample
4. Knit a sample
5. Take photos as I knit the sample
6. Block the sample
7. Photograph the finished sample
8. Grade the design to multiple sizes
9. Calculate how much yarn each size is expected to use
10. Write the instructions down in a way that is accurate, clear, concise, and consistent
11. Explain any special techniques used
12. Create a schematic
13. Create a diagram
14. Check all schematics and diagrams are suitable for colour blind knitters
15. Create supporting blog posts
16. Create supporting videos, including manually written subtitles
17. Explain any customisation options (e.g. custom sizing, working with a different weight yarn, fit adjustments, style adjustments)
18. Provide accurate sample details
19. Have the pattern tech edited
20. Create a test on Yarnpond
21. Create a newsletter update for the testers email list
22. Review applications and select testers
23. Manage the test and pool of testers
24. Update the pattern
25. Write the accessible version of the pattern
26. Create a newsletter update for the pattern launch
27. Create a product on Payhip
28. Create a product on my website
29. Create a product on LoveCrafts
30. Create a product listing on Ravelry
31. Create social media content (about 3 weeks worth per pattern)
32. Schedule social media content
33. Respond to social media engagement
34. Update business records (e.g. pattern database)
35. Update books (income & expenses)
36. Manage the pattern’s launch
37. Provide pre-sales support
38. Provide after sales support

Before I can do any of those things, I have to develop a set of skills and related knowledge:

• Knitting (obviously!)
• Photography
• Photo editing
• Graphic design
• Branding
• Typesetting, for screen, print, and low vision
• Writing, both patterns and prose
• Social media content creation
• Social media management
• Accounting, including bookkeeping, pricing, and international VAT regulations
• Law, including copyright infringement, intellectual property, and GDPR
• Web design, including e-commerce and web security
• Database design, use, and management
• Spreadsheets
• Accessibility

And resources:

• Pattern file templates (which I create myself)
• Social media content templates (which I create myself)
• Pattern database
• Test database
• Social media planning database
• Books (income & expenses)
• Style guide
• Website privacy notice
• Website terms and conditions
• Pattern copyright notice

So… it’s a lot, and I’m fairly certain I’ve forgotten things. (And it can be all yours for a mere £5!)

This isn’t me complaining; I really love almost all of these things, and I am incredibly lucky to be able to do something I love. But you know what? I do these things well, I spend time and money getting better all the time, and I deserve to be paid for my work.

That’s what it boils down to. I deserve to be paid for my work. And again, I’m very lucky in that you all seem to agree with me on that!

So, here’s the problem. When people tell me that they genuinely can’t afford to buy patterns, what can I do that helps them access mine without devaluing all this work I’ve done?

The answer I’ve come up with is to set up a Pay It Forward fund.

Anyone who wishes to can buy a pattern for the fund, and anyone who needs to can request one from it. I’ll keep it all organised, fair, and anonymous on the back end.

I’ve got the pool started with a few contributions; you can read all about how it works by following the link below.